Cheshvan, which starts at sundown October 16, 2012, is a month free of holidays. Because of this, Judaism often sees this as a sad or barren month. However, there is another school of thought that I want to embrace and share with the PunkTorah community. This school of thought says that Cheshvan is a month to take on new practices because there are no holidays to do.

I propose that we, the PunkTorah community, take on a Cheshvan challenge. What if we, together, use this month to make our lives and the world a better place? What if we pull forward a concept from the Days of Awe: Shinui Ma’aseh (שי

Cheshvan is a month with no holidays, which makes it “Mar Cheshvan,” or bitter Cheshvan to some (there’s also the reading of the Flood — but we’ll save that for another time). For me, I think it’s a great time to breath and take stock after the whirlwind of high holiday season. In Cheshvan we’ve finished with Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah and all the days in between!

In thinking about how to best use the “time off” in Cheshvan, I thought it seemed like the perfect month to explore one of the myriad of Jewish practices that we haven’t adopted into our lives. If you’re Orthodox, there’s even room for you to explore some of the more modern adaptations of traditional practices. For the rest of us, I’m guessing there’s plenty of practices we’ve heard about, thought about, and maybe even studied — but really haven’t tried out for ourselves.

To act as a guide to these practices and where to even begin, I highly recommend The Rituals & Practices of a Jewish Life: A Handbook for Personal Spiritual Renewal. I first read this book a couple of years back and decided to read it again a few weeks ago. I find it to be a very good guide to Jewish practice, and especially for how to even get started with many of these practices that can seem like a life commitment or nothing.

If even this seems overwhelming, then pick one of these two:

Weekly Shabbat

Daily Prayer

Both of those are really a cornerstone to Jewish spiritual life. I also put them in this order for a reason. I really believe that a weekly Shabbat practice is the true gateway to enhancing Jewish spiritual life. Don’t make it complicated. Don’t put barriers in your way. Just make it happen. Find a bakery to buy your challah — that’s the biggest challenge. Then every week get to that bakery and buy your challah. Then when you get home — whenever that is. Set up your candles, kiddush cup, and challah — and say the prayers. If you already do that, then consider adding additional blessings or Torah study. If you can do it for a month consistently, you’ll be amazed at how it can change your worldview.

Daily prayer is a second place to start. Thanks to Jewish prayer being three times a day, you have several choices. You can start by waking up with a single prayer from the Shacarit, or morning prayers. Pick just one to start, and consider the prayer for gratitude — Modah Ani/Modeh Ani. If you’re comfy in Hebrew, rock it! If you aren’t, then pray in English. What matters is committing to the act and seeing it through. I’d also recommend adding the Sh’ma in, because it’s the cornerstone of Jewish prayer.

If mornings aren’t your thing, then try Mincha (afternoon) or Maariv (evening) prayers. For Mincha, pick out a prayer from the prayerbook — or just take a moment and say the Sh’ma. For Maariv, again — you can just say the Sh’ma, but there’s also a host of other great bedtime prayers to choose from, or you could go crazy and do the whole thing! Needless to say, Ahava Rabbah: The OneShul Community Siddur 5772 has plenty of great options to help you along.

Whatever you do, use this break we find in Cheshvan to explore a new practice, and then tell us about your experience!

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Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and purchases provide a few pennies to Ketzirah. For any purchases made directly from links on PunkTorah posts, Ketzirah will make a $1 donation back to PunkTorah.

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Carly Lesser (a.k.a. Ketzirah – קצירה) is Kohenet, Celebrant and Artist whose passion is helping Jews who are unaffiliated, earth-based or in interfaith / inter-denominational relationships connect more deeply with Judaism and make it relevant in their every day lives. She is an active blogger and prayer leader on OneShul.org andPeelaPom.com.